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The Irish Honeymoon

     The tradition of going on a honeymoon after a wedding is quite old and has been around for a while. Every couple dreams of going on a romantic trip of some sort with their loved one, whether it be to the tropics, the mountains, ect. The real question is though, how did such a tradition come to be? Well, we've got the Irish and their 'month of honey' to thank.

 
     Ever since the very beginning of Irish civilization, the 'month of honey' has been around, referring to the month after an Irish wedding in which the couples drink mead, a brew made of mainly fermented honey. The friends and relatives of these couples are the ones to supply significant amounts of mead, as well as special goblets to drink it out of. Such a tradition was believed to enhance virility and fertility, as well as simply set the marriage off to a good start. Although our ideas of honeymoons are quite modernized and varied, the idea and message remains the same.

By Julia Dankov

Sweden's Unusual Wedding Bouquets

      Flower bouquets are customary additions to weddings all around the globe, whether they stand in pots around the room for decoration or in lay in the hands of the bridesmaids. The Swedes, however, have quite an unusual take on the average wedding flower bouquet. If you ever choose to attend the wedding of any Swedish couple really wishing to follow one of the oldest wedding traditions in the book, then get ready to spend your entire night trying to breathe as little as humanly possible. Why, you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that the Swedes often replace lilacs and lilies for smelly weeds.

      This old wedding tradition requires the bridesmaids to carry bouquets of putrid-smelling weeds in their arms for the entire night, just as any common wedding requires the bridesmaids to carry around bundles of pretty little blossoms. This is done to supposedly ward off trolls and other such evil spirits. You can only imagine how much fun the guests have at weddings like these, having to hold their breath for large portions of the entire night. On the bright side, at least they'll be sitting in rooms or restaurants that are virtually evil spirit free!

By Julia Dankov

Why the Veil?

     So you're at a wedding, waiting for the alliance of your good friends or relatives to be blessed and deemed official. You're sitting in a church or restaurant, wherever it may be, socializing amongst the other wedding guests. Out of nowhere, music starts playing, chatter subsides, and heads turn towards whatever entrance the venue has. There, the beautiful bride begins her way down the aisle or hall. Hushed whispers and proud smiles dance around the room as you look the woman over. You notice her flowing dress or any other attire, her polished accessories, and usually, her long, sweeping viel.

   
     Now, veils are very common accents to the wedding attires of brides all over the world. You may be wondering, why are they so popular, so important? The tradition of wearing a wedding veil is very old, dating back to as far as the ancient times. Yellow in ancient Greece and red in ancient Rome, the traditional wedding veil came in many varied shapes, sizes, and styles. Even in present day, wedding veils are available in thousands of different colors, materials, ect. There are many stories of the wedding veil's true origin. Some say it was worn to protect the bride from evil spirits on her day of marriage, for it concealed her face and confused these spirits. Others say it was worn to protect the bride from 'the evil eye' and to symbolize purity, chastity, and modesty. No matter the wedding veil's origin or where, when, and by whom it was worn, it really only stood for, and continues to stand for, one thing and one thing only; a truly happy event in any couple's life.

By Julia Dankov

Stealing the Bride

     Playing games, fooling around, other such things along those lines, they're all simply essential for a wedding. Weddings can't be taken too seriously, they're a time for celebration and having fun, right? The Russians, for one, sure seem to agree with this statement. Amongst several other activities, almost all Russian weddings include a specific game called 'Stealing the Bride'. At these weddings, if the groom doesn't keep too good an eye on his bride, she's eligible to be 'kidnapped' by the friends and family of the groom. In order to get her back, the groom must carry out the hilarious and sometimes even humiliating tasks demanded by the brides' 'kidnappers'. Dancing, singing, reciting poetry, solving riddles, and other such 'missions' are good examples of how the groom must 'pay a ransom' to get his bride back. Often getting all of the attending wedding guests doubling over with laughter, this game is a good installment to any wedding. Although the tradition is old, it's still a common activity at many Russian weddings.

By Julia Dankov

Canada's Notre Dame Cathedral

     So, we've all heard of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, have we not? From the very beginning of the church's existence, from it's assembly in 1163 to present day 2011, the building has stood strong and has served as a universal icon of religion and culture. Along the way, however, a replica Notre Dame Cathedral was constructed in Montreal, Canada. The main construction of the church took place between 1824 and 1829. In 1830, it was finally opened to the public, and two towers were added later on, the first in 1841 and the second in 1843. To this day, the old cathedral is open to tourists and other such visitors.

     A few weeks ago, my family and I went on a trip to Canada and while there, stopped by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal. After waiting for what felt like hours upon hours on a line to get in, I finally made it inside the building I had heard and read so much about. It didn't take long for me to realize that waiting on that long line was very much worth it. The church was 259 by 151 feet of pure beauty, what with it's impeccably designed Gothic Revival interior, it's mesmerizing decorations and decorations and sculptures, it's grand organ, etc. 

By Julia Dankov

Street dancers. Flamenco. Toronto Canada